Quandary with S&W service

[halfmoonclip]

I've a long history with S&W customer service, and they have successfully repaired many things. Their great CS is one of the reasons for buying, and recommending their products.
Not so much lately. I've a 986 that wasn't carrying up (cylinder bolt didn't engage at full cock). They fitted a new ratchet, but when I took it to the range, the cylinder would bind. They had left zero clearance between the cylinder face and the forcing cone....not even a peep of daylight.
In December, I got a BodyGuard .380 as a really small carry gun, and I liked it. It worked, all the time, running about anything, and I could hit things.
So I got a spare, the plan being to shoot the daylights out of one, and keep the round count down on the other.
The second one usually can't get through a magazine without a misfeed (round at an angle entering the chamber), a slide closure with rounds remaining, or a failure of the slide to lock open on an empty magazine. Best guess is the slide is short cycling slightly.
Sent it in; it came back, they couldn't replicate the problem.
I'm sure they'd like to blame it on reloads (haven't raised that issue yet), but the same rounds work perfectly in the first gun.
What do you think? Send it back again?
Moon

 

[BBBBill]

I did have a long history with them. Not so much anymore. They have lost most or all of their really well trained service staff. The ones there now are just parts swappers as far as I can tell. And S&W now restricts many of the parts that I used to be able to order. So it's a double curse.

 

[unclenunzie]

TBH As a lay person with an eye for detail but no realistic mechanical skill, I have learned to fix minor issues myself, mostly to avoid waiting for my gun to return and not be fully fixed. I think S&W and others have fallen into the trap of depending too much on part swapping because: a) most of their parts are nearly perfect anyway; b) it's much cheaper to swap parts than it is to spend time evaluating intermittent problems with a relatively inexpensive gun.

I bet they've done the math and most of the time this works out ok. But when it doesn't a customer is stuck. I had to replace and fit a $5 part on a brand new $900 revolver to make it run perfect after it came home with that problem not addressed by their CS.

After checking things out for yourself as best you can I'd collect all the details again, explain on the phone, then send it back with a letter. They might be able to fix it or replace it.

 

[a5werkes]

Gunsmith is Latin for "not an armorer".

 

[halfmoonclip]

The BodyGuard is headed back to Springfield; my local FFL is doing it this time. They're of the opinion that, if Smith can't fix it, they're apt to replace it...if so, it will have to come back to an FFL in any case.
Tried a feeler gauge on the 986; it wants a little more off the forcing cone.
Moon

 

[dh1633pm]

If I had to go back to the well so many times to fix things, I would consider switching brands. Its good to have great support, even better to never need it in the first place. Sorry to hear about your issues. My 686 has been flawless.

 

[unclenunzie]

I know of no one else but S&W making a locked breech micro 380 and true DAO (and in current production). If that's what one wants they are the only game in town. I hope they fix the OP's or replace it with one that works.